Fiamma del Cielo
by ariados26
Summary: Fate dictates that a young boy will be summoned by a pink-haired mage, to be bound to her for eternity, as her familiar and eventually her lover. But then, no matter what Fate tries to decide, no power in existence can force its way on them. He may have been summoned, but unlike Fate's decree, he did not come alone. Nothing which can stand in the way of true love. Prologue revised.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Zero no Tsukaima or any of the ideas I base from it and other anime, books and other literature that seem familiar, and I am borrowing them purely for entertainment purpose only.

* * *

**Prologue**

Fate and destiny, can be either kind or cruel, or both. As it was proven time and again, Fate can be the reason for people to come together, yet at the same time, destiny is also what tears them apart.

There are no coincidences in the world. Everyone is connected. Everything happens for a reason, everything is predetermined. Predestination. All outcomes had already been determined from the beginning.

Thus, if that was the case, it also meant that the two of them were never meant to be together.

Fate declares that she was not the one for him. Destiny dictates that he would spend his life with someone else.

However, not everyone believes in Fate and Destiny, and to those who do not, there is no such a thing as predetermination.

And even if there was such a thing as Fate and Destiny, there is nothing, not even Fate or Destiny, that can stand in the way of true love.

**xxxXXXxxx**

"Hmmm... needs a bit more salt," a boy wearing an apron muttered to himself, as he took a bit of the particular spice from a jar and sprinkled on the omelette he was making.

His name is Hiraga Saito, a typical teenager who is in his second year of high school, was currently busy cooking breakfast, the most important meal of the day. He was just a normal seventeen year old boy, who was not particularly good at anything but not particularly bad at anything either.

His academic ranking, compared with the rest of the student population, is somewhere in the middle, although thankfully he was still on the upper tier. He was just a plain, average guy, somewhere in the middle, a spot which does not garner too much attention, unlike those who were specially gifted at the top, or those who are uniquely abysmal at the bottom. Or at least, it should not have garnered too much attention...

"Welcome back, Aoi-chan. Breakfast will be ready soon."

If it wasn't for his sister.

The girl Saito addressed merely nodded her head in acknowledgement before heading for her room.

After a few minutes, she returned, having changed from to casual clothes, her hair wet as she had just taken a bath. Then, she sat on a chair by the table, and buried herself in Introduction to Statistics, the book which she had been holding when she arrived.

As he saw his sister adjust her glasses slightly, Saito could not help but sigh. The final exams for the year was over and the next day would be summer vacation, yet she still buried herself in her studies.

Hiraga Aoi, his younger sister, is a girl who possessed that which Saito did not: talent. She was, in every term of the word, a prodigy. Unlike her older brother, she was the top of the class in terms of academic ranking,. The only subjects that Saito had ever been able to beat her at was Home Economics and P.E. (the practical part, not the written part), but as for the rest, she was simply out of his league.

The two of them go to the same school, and thus, it is of little wonder that the students and teachers always went about comparing the two of them, many wondering in disbelief, how the two of them could possibly be siblings and had the same genes, when they were too different.

And it was not just when it came to talent or ability, for when it comes to physical features, the two of them did not have anything in common at all. Saito, basically, had raven hair whereas Aoi's was blue.

And since Aoi, who despite being two years younger, was already in the same year as Saito, it was even easier to pick them out for comparison. Aoi, as expected, was in Class A whereas Saito was in Class C.

How in the world could that loser be possibly related to the Ice Queen? This was the general gist of the questions they asked. Ice Queen was the nickname that was given to Aoi, since despite being the top of the year, she was a shy and quiet girl, who rarely spoke unless circumstances require her to, and the aura she exudes, was one which was cold, someone who is unapproachable. She was a loner type, who spends most of her time reading, her face usually half-hidden by a book.

Under such circumstances, it would not have been surprising for the one who is beaten and always compared to their better sibling to grow hate and resentment against his brother or sister.

Saito, however, did not really care, and did not mind being overshadowed by his sister. True, he did not like the fact that Aoi had garnered a lot of attention, but it wasn't because he was jealous of her popularity or anything. No, the reason why he disliked it was because of something else. And that something...

Was the fact that Aoi was really popular with the boys, the same reason why a number of girls disliked her.

Men, as far as Saito was concerned, were creatures of the lowest order. They were nothing but wolves, who would salivate and jump at delicious looking meat, and Saito's sister, unfortunately, was considered by many as 'Premium Grade.' True, she was a petite girl, and she did not have the busts that many males prefer, but she was really cute, both with or without her glasses, which was more than enough to have the hearts of men racing... although in Saito's opinion, it was their primal urges raging.

However, in reality, Saito had once considered himself worse, much worse, than any other male on the planet.

As Aoi's big brother, it had always been his role, to keep her happy. Due to their parent's line of work, they were usually not around and only dropped by from time to time to visit. Saito and Aoi practically lived alone by themselves, and it was for this reason that Saito strived hard and successfully mastered one of his two special abilities: doing domestic housework.

Since Aoi was female, it would not have been surprising if most of the household chores would fall heavily on her. In fact, when they first planned their weekly schedules that is what his younger sister tried to do.

Saito, however, would not allow it, and instead, decided to take the bulk of the work. He learned how to cook, how to wash, how to do the laundry, and just about everything that had to do with household matters.

And also, as her big brother, it was also his role to keep Aoi away from harm. Due to her distant attitude, Aoi, despite having the favour of the teachers as well as on good terms with everyone, did not have any close friends who she could count on, for they saw her as an idol, someone who is just too far above them for them to even consider standing by her side.

Knowing this, Saito decided to keep a close eye on her, and he would constantly check up on how she was doing, protecting her from the shadows, following her around just like a stalker. Even though she was popular, there were those in the student population who had earned her envy, as well as those who approach her with malicious intent.

From jealous females who want to take her down a peg to instinct-driven men who wanted to hit on her and do unspeakable things to her, Saito had done everything in his power to protect Aoi from these elements, using any and all means necessary. He learned self defense and martial arts, mixing several versions, so that he could defend Aoi. He even forced himself to read and study books on politics, human behaviour and psychology, something which he sorely disliked, just so that he could have a better grasp of the human psyche, and in turn, be able to make good and logical decisions.

Saito may be a slow learner by nature and a bit of a knucklehead, but when it comes to what he truly believes is essential, his learning speed increases tremendously due to his stubbornness and refusal to give up... a knucklehead indeed.

He may never be able to claim to be an expert, but it did not matter to him. What is important, is that what he learned was enough for him to achieve his objective, of keeping his sister safe and happy, an objective which he somehow managed to succeed in achieving.

"So how is it?" Saito asked, as he watched his younger take a bit out of the meal he prepared.

"It's good," Aoi commented monotonously, her voice without any emotion, yet her facial expression gave her away: the Ice Queen was actually smiling, a reaction which also made Saito smile as well.

He managed to keep her safe. He was able to fend off everyone who wanted to cause her harm. But most of all, he was able to succeed in witnessing the one thing which very few people had ever been able to see on the cold Aoi: her true smile, a smile that was filled warmth and honest joy, an infectious smile and feeling that made Saito feel that everything that he did was worth it... something which he had thought someone like him did not deserve to see.

As he watched his sister enjoy her meal, Saito could not help but smile with joy, though in the past, it would have been one which was a mixture of true joy and bitterness.

Just like any other boys of his age, he also had his own stash of unseemly materials. However, compared to him, Saito knew he was worse... much worse, proven by the fact that his collection was only made up materials which focused on one particular theme: forbidden love.

He, for years now, had been in love with his younger sister...

In truth, the two of them were not actually blood-related. It was eight years ago when his parents came home, bringing along with them the newest member to their family, and at the time, Saito fell in love with her. However, it was without the obscene or lustful feeling that he did now, but more like as a member of the family. He, who had not yet made a single friend at the time, could not help but be overcome with joy, at the fact that he was no longer alone.

As time passed, however, that feeling of love he had, which he once thought was that of an older brother looking after his younger sister, grew and twisted into something else.

Realizing the monster that he had become, he tried his best to stay away. For this reason, despite the inconveniences and the arguments he had with his parents, he moved out of the house and transferred schools a year ago... only to find out a month later that Aoi also decided to transfer to that same school, and due to her excellent performance in the entrance exams as well as in her previous school, was allowed to move up to grades, even managing to land herself on the first section. Before, Aoi was actually going to an all-girl's school and the two of them only ever saw each other at home, which meant only one thing: Saito's plan had backfired.

Knowing it would be too suspicious if he tried to transfer again too soon, Saito decided to harden his resolve, and tried to seem like a distant and uncaring brother while dutifully continuing his role as her guardian and protector, until he found the perfect timing and excuse to leave.

Despite the fact that it was hard for most people to read her correctly due to her cold and emotionless demeanour, Saito was able to, and he could tell that Aoi was not happy with what he was doing, but he remained firm on his decision. And it wasn't only her, for with what he was doing, he knew that his sister would eventually come to hate him, but he decided to ignore his own emotions, for he truly believed that what he was doing was for the best.

Going further with his plan, Saito tried to find himself a girlfriend, looking for girls who fit the 'ideal statistics,' and soon enough, he found one, or rather, he was the one who was found, since a girl actually confessed to him.

He knew that what he did was cruel, accepting the confession of a girl when he knew his heart belonged to someone else, but at least, it would be someone else, not Aoi, who he would end up hurting.

At least, that was what he thought. On the day that he had his first date, Saito realized just how wrong he was.

On the day that Saito went on his first date with his 'girlfriend,' for some reason he could not understand, he could not shake off the feeling that someone was following them. Still, since he saw no one, and since he was determined to forget about Aoi, he pushed through with it. Using the moves and dating strategies he learned with his younger sister as the person subconsciously in his mind, Saito's dating escapade had been successful. His girlfriend had a lot of fun, and he himself, managed to feel a small amount of joy at his success.

Just as Saito had planned, the last place he and his girlfriend visited was a hilltop where one could have a wonderful view of the sea. And Saito brought her to that spot, the two of them watching the beautiful sunset, before he took her home, and he and his girlfriend kissed for the first time, before she entered her apartment.

Saito had only been using her as a scapegoat, but maybe, just maybe, he would fall in love with her, and he would finally be able to let go of the most important person in his life.

When he turned around to head back to his place, however, to his shock and horror, he saw that very person staring at him, tears flowing from her eyes, before she ran away, as rain, even though it had been sunny the entire day, started pouring from the evening sky.

From the books which Saito had read, he had once come across an entry which is about woman's intuition, about how both males and females both have it, but that men are too stuck up to give it any notice, and therefore end up becoming insensitive, oblivious bastards... which is exactly what he was, an insensitive oblivious bastard.

All the time, Saito had only been thinking about things from within the box, from his own perspective. He loved Aoi in a way that was not brotherly, and he knew that it was wrong. He knew that if his sister ever found out about how he truly felt, or if he loses control of himself, he would end up hurting her. Thus, the only way to solve the problem was by voluntarily distancing himself.

The possibility that their feeling might actually be mutual had never come across his mind. Saito assumed that something so fantastic and wondrous was impossible.

He was mistaken.

Aoi never had a boyfriend.

Aoi rejected every single boy who confessed their love for her, even those who Saito saw as acceptable and thus did not antagonize.

Aoi made chocolates every Valentine's Day even though she did not have a boyfriend and the person who she made them for... was Saito

He should have realized it, yet he had been too slow and close-minded to notice.

"Onii-chan?"

"Hmmm?"

"You have rice on your cheek."

"What? Where is it?"

"Here," the girl spoke quietly, as she leaned forward, using a chopstick to pick out the grain that was stuck on her brother's face and...

"Mpppfh?!"

Gave Saito a passionate kiss, to which the raven-haired young man, who already knew this pattern, which started eight months before, automatically responded, their tongues interlocking with each other's. This was a side of Aoi that only Saito knew, when she comes out of the cold shell of indifference which she used as a shield to defend herself.

Even up to this time, Saito still saw himself as scum, as a useless, and worthless person. However, even though it was the case, the young man with raven-hair could not help but feel glad.

He was a pervert, a psycho, who lusted after his own sister. But he was even worse than that, for his actions caused the person who is most precious to him to become miserable.

And as he had come to terms with his feelings, he realized that what he felt for Aoi wasn't just desire: Saito truly loved his sister, which only made all that he had done even heavier on his conscience.

The worst crime he had ever committed... was making his sister cry. Thus, he resolved to do everything he could to make it up to her. He will never make her cry again.

"I'll take the lead," Saito heard his sister whisper in his ear, sitting on his lap, as she started undoing the buttons of his shirt.

To him, it no longer mattered that what they were doing seemed immoral, nor did it matter what other people thought of them. They may be hiding their relationship from the rest of the world, but if they did find out, it would no longer change anything between them.

He still believed that someone like him did not deserve to have her. And yet, even though he was unworthy, Aoi had chosen him.

Even though he saw himself as unworthy of her, the decision had been hers to make. And since she had chosen him, Saito made a vow to himself, that he would become someone who deserved to have her, and to do everything in his power to make her happy.

And in Saito's case, seeing Aoi happy is what gives him the greatest amount of joy, for she was the person he loves, more than anything else in the world.

**xxxXXXxxx**

"Oysters last week, and now watermelons? Kid, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes, why?"

It was half past noon on the first day of summer vacation, and currently, Hiraga Saito was at the front door of his apartment, receiving a package from Kenji, the friendly neighbourhood postman, who, due to the post service that was utilized by the senders of the package, namely Saito's parents, was always the one who delivers it, since he was the one in charge of their particular area.

"I have to admit kid, I'm envious. My mother and father were never this supportive when my wife and I were still dating."

"That's because Kaa-san can't wait to have a grandchild." Saito mumbled, which made the man chuckle in response.

"You're both still too young for that, you know. You still need to find a good job, do some family planning and all that complicated stuff... Well, anyway, gotta go, I've still got a lot of packages to deliver. See you later kid." The postman said with a cheery salute.

"Yes, see you later." Saito replied as he returned the gesture, watching the man walk away towards his truck.

"Oh, and don't forget to say hi to Aoi for me."

"Sure. I'll tell her when she wakes up from her nap."

The moment he closed the door behind him, however, Saito could not help but sigh deeply in relief. He may be in good terms with the postman, but he was, in all honesty, a little too perceptive for Saito's liking. To make matters worse, Kenji is actually a good friend of Saito's and Aoi's parents, and just like them, despite the fact that the postman was asking questions that made it seem like he was oblivious, he was actually also aware of a certain bit of information that Saito preferred to not be known by the rest of the world: the fact that he was going out and making out with his sister.

It had already been two weeks since then, since Saito and Aoi told their parents about their relationship. or rather, were forced to tell them. Due to the fact that Saito's parents were 'coincidentally' good friends and well-acquainted with the landlady of the apartment complex where Saito and Aoi were staying at upon the parents' 'recommendation,' the two adults, for 'precautionary reasons,' possessed spare keys to the apartment their son and daughter was using.

Unfortunately, during their very first 'unannounced visit', they found Saito and Aoi sleeping together naked in the same bed, their bodies covered only by a white sheet, and the scent of cherries was present in the air.

For a moment which seemed to last an eternity, a moment which Saito would never forget, he felt as if the weight of the entire world was upon him, as him the end had come. The look on their mother's and father's faces was terrible to behold. It was one of the most frightening experiences he had ever had in his life.

The terror at the time, though, only lasted for a moment, for in the next second...

"_Did you use protection?"_ With that one sentence uttered by his father, the oppressive air in the room instantly vanished.

To Saito's surprise, their parents had been quick in accepting their relationship. He and Aoi were not complaining though, and in truth, they were really glad to know that their loving relationship would not cause any problems.

_..._

"_Immoral? Our reputation in society? Do you really think we give a damn about that? Your mother and I have no problem with you being both our children and our in-laws. All we want is for you to be happy."_

_..._

Saito remembered it clearly at the time, how he held Aoi gently in his arms, tears of joy and gratitude flowing silently from her eyes when their father said those words, while Saito, who was also touched deeply, had to put enormous effort to stop himself from doing the same, both of them muttering a sincere thank you to their parents for everything.

Unfortunately, another complication arose, in the form of contradicting opinions between their Mother and Father.

Lewd things, in truth, were not the only things which Saito had been fantasizing about when he and Aoi were not yet together. To have children of their own, to start their own family, is actually one of the many things which he had been thinking about. And now that they were together, not to mention that they have their parents, who were also their parent-in-law's, blessing, he knew that his dream would become a reality.

However, Saito was aware that they were not yet ready to have children. Physically, perhaps, despite Aoi's petite size, it was already possible for her to conceive, but mental-wise and financial-wise, they were not yet prepared.

Aoi told Saito that she wanted to be able to travel around the world, and since Saito did not have any particular career he wanted to pursue before, he thought of becoming a pilot, so that he could take her to wherever place she wanted to go to.

Of course, he would need to have a sufficiently paying second career of choice on standby, so that they can start thinking of starting a family once they decide to settle down. There were still too many loose ends to be tied, so as of the moment, having children was not yet an option, and his idea to have things planned out first was something which their father approved of.

Their mother, however, did not.

Saito recently found out from their father, when they had a one on one conversation, why his Mom was acting like this. Due to certain complications with his mother's system, even though they were not life-threatening, it was impossible for her to get pregnant... and Saito, just like Aoi, was also adopted, only that unlike Aoi, who was adopted when she was seven, he had been adopted since he was one year old.

Of course, what he found out did not really matter much to Saito, and despite not being blood-related, it did not make him love his parents any less, and it was the same from both sides... which is exactly what caused the problem.

Their Mom, apparently, missed Saito's and Aoi's younger days, and because of it, she wanted her son and daughter, who are technically also her in-laws, to have babies, so that she, as their grandmother, could take on the role of nanny and take care of them.

Saito was only seventeen and Aoi was only fifteen, yet their mother already wanted him to 'knock her up.' But since it was three against one, her opinion could not push through.

However, that did not stop her from trying through other means, and one of those means, was in the form of weekly packages, disguised as treats, but were in fact, sent with the intention of increasing their sex drive, not that they need it anyway. The two of them, though, had no intention to have a baby just yet, and while they never used protection, since they Aoi said she wanted it raw, he was careful not to release it inside unless it was a safe day.

_Still, it is kind of hot today,_ thought Saito with a sigh, as he looked down at the luscious fruits in the box he had just opened. Even though he knew exactly what it was his mom was trying to do, they were perfect dessert for a hot summer day.

"Onii-chan," said a voice behind Saito.

"Oh you're up, Aoi-chan. Kaa-san sent us some watermelon, do you want to e- what are you doing?"

"Doing some cleaning," his sister replied flatly. "Today is my schedule."

Saito could not help but gulp in nervousness, as he felt the colour draining from his face, at the sight which greeted his eyes.

For in front of him, was his girlfriend, Aoi, sweeping the floor with a soft broom and dust pan like a normal girl would... except that she was not holding either soft broom or dust pan. The two equipments were doing the cleaning by themselves.

Magic is something like a miracle, a supernatural phenomena of various scales, which defies logic and most, if not all kinds of scientific explanation. However, magic is something which does exist, and in the present, all the magic that is performed by magicians are merely the result of extremely fast movement, optical illusions, and other similar deceptions. Even the miracles and magics that were supposedly performed by the religious people, sages, priests, and wizards in history, had been re-enacted, successfully revealing the logical workings behind them.

Overall, the magic people know are nothing but magic tricks. Even levitation, the mind over matter thing which inspired several and stories, including a futuristic one with spaceships and light sabres, had been proven to be nothing but a fraud, since it was done with the use of invisible wires, but was caught by high speed cameras.

Still, while Saito believed that they were indeed nothing but magic tricks, even he could tell that what he was seeing was definitely not a trick. There were no wires, nor are there any hidden motors or controllers that make the soft broom and dust pan perform their duties. What he was seeing, what Aoi was doing, was without a doubt, unlike the many fakes he had seen, true magic.

However, this was not the reason why beads of sweat were forming on Saito's fate. After all, it had already been seven years since he had first seen Aoi perform magic, and since he was a kid when he first found out, he was so used to it that even when he found out that it was truly magic and not a trick when they became older, he did not freak out. In fact, he managed to learn how to levitate objects and cast a few other spells as well since Aoi taught him, although he could never do so at the same level as her.

Magic, in a way, had already become an everyday thing to him. The only worry he had was if someone found out what he and his sister were capable of, as it would certainly merit unwanted attention. It was one of the biggest secrets they had which they kept even from their parents.

The real reason why Saito was beginning to panic was not because of the inanimate objects moving by themselves, but rather, it was because of the item that Aoi was holding in her hands.

"Aoi-chan, where did you get that?" Saito inquired, trying to keep his voice calm.

"This?" the girl asked, as she held out a rather graphic magazine with the title S and M Sibling Bonding. "I found this when I was cleaning the living room."

_?!_

In truth, when Aoi first discovered the existence of Saito's 'collection' due to a carelessness in choice of hiding places for them, the girl, surprisingly despite her normally calm demeanor, did not freak out, nor did she get angry with Saito, although she did confiscate them. However, when the two of them got together, Saito resolved to throw the precious materials away, dvds, cds, books and all, partly because he did not Aoi to think he was fantasizing about other women, but it was more due to the fact that Aoi was also interested in reading and watching them.

Skimming through lewd reading materials and watching similar kind of movies had actually been helpful to Saito as a source of reference materials for when he and Aoi would 'do it.' He wanted to give her as much pleasure as possible, and the second-hand experienced he acquired had certainly been useful.

Unfortunately, he was not the only one set about copying said techniques.

Saito's sister, who is also his girlfriend, is a quiet girl who focused on her studies, and she was very good with details. Whatever it is that she wanted to learn, she is able to do so really quickly... and she is really good at imitation, as Saito noted when some of the skills she used was similar to what he saw the female characters in the movies she watched utilize.

Sadly, some of these techniques were at such an extreme level that even a pervert like Saito believed that they were only meant for watching, not doing.

Because of it, Saito, with a heavy heart, resolved to throw away his entire collection, since there were bits here and there in all of them that was included in Saito's 'read and watch only, not-to-do list.'

Unfortunately, it seems as if some remnants of his precious pieces remained.

"Tying the hands with a rope... then penetrate from behind," Aoi whispered to herself.

And to make matters worse, that particular remnant was one of the most hardcore ones in his collection.

_Crap._

In truth, Saito would have liked nothing more than to snatch the book from his sister's hands. Unfortunately, disturbing Aoi when she was reading something, regardless of what it was, is tabooed, a line which Saito would never dare cross. He remembered a number of people who did exactly that... it did not end well for them.

Thus, he had no choice but to wait for Aoi to finish reading before taking it back... though Saito knew, deep down, that it would be too late for him by then.

**xxxXXXxxx**

"Onii-chan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Aoi-chan. Don't worry about me." Saito told his girlfriend, as he stifled a groan that almost came out of his mouth.

Due to his own carelessness, failing to throw out of the house what he should have thrown out of the house, the older of the Hiraga siblings woke up in pain, his body sore in a number of places caused by his and Aoi's usual nighttime activity, during which his girlfriend tested out a number of interesting moves which she read from Saito's brand of literature. Having learned his lesson, the raven-haired young man promised himself that he would scour every inch of their apartment to make sure that none of his precious collection remained.

Still, despite the pain he was feeling, Saito decided to endure it, and he did his best to keep up his calm and cheerful facade. He may not have the emotionless expression that his sister constantly used, but he had his own way of hiding his true emotions.

And right now, he was using a cheerful mask to hide not only the fact that he was pain, but also the fact that he was really very nervous.

Going out on a date had already become a routine for Saito and Aoi, and just like always, they would take a leisurely walk, eat at their favourite restaurants, and visit their favourite places. The only difference between them and typical couples is that Aoi was always reading, and her face was half-covered with a book most of the time.

Today, however, was different, and Saito was doing his very best to calm his own nerves.

A few days before, Saito had gone out by himself, taking along with him all the money he had saved up from his allowance and part- time jobs, to buy something.

All day long, he searched and searched, going from one store to another, until he found it: a gold ring with a blue-coloured sapphire jewel in the middle.

After a long of time of trying to build up his courage, Saito was now going to prose to Aoi.

Everything had been set. Once they finish with their usual dating routine, Saitou would take his sister to the fanciest restaurant in the city, where he had an entire room reserved all to themselves, to create the perfect atmosphere for his proposal.

Yes, Saito was indeed nervous. Even though he and Aoi's feelings for each other is mutual, even though they have their parents' blessing, the raven-haired young man still found it hard to stop his knees from shaking. He was about to take a big step to further their relationship. He knew that it was unlikely for him to be rejected now, but still he wanted everything to be perfect. He did not want to mess it up. He did not want anything to go wrong.

Still, as he looked at his younger sister who had both her hands clasped around his own, Saito could not help but smile. If there was one thing which Aoi would choose over her books it was her older brother.

_It's going to be fine. Everything's going to be fine, _Saito kept repeating in his thoughts, although unlike before, his feeling of dread had been reduced greatly, replaced by a feeling of warmth that came Aoi which gave him confidence.

Everything was going to be perfect. Nothing would go wrong. Saito was now sure that everything was going to be fine.

Or so he thought...

"ONII-CHAN, WATCH OUT!"

There had been no warning, no indication that anything was wrong. Or perhaps there was, but in his dazed and distracted state, Saito did not notice it until it was too late.

And now, he and Aoi found themselves being sucked into a green orb of magic, where an abyss where there was nothing but darkness was waiting for them.

"HANG ON!"

The only reason why they had not yet been sucked into it was Aoi's quick response, who, upon noticing the distortion, immediately grabbed onto a nearby post with one of her hands, while she wrapped her other arm around him.

He had been too carefree. He had been too careless. And because of it, for the first time in a long time, Saito heard the usually quiet and younger sister scream, a voice filled with worry and terror.

What happened was all his fault, and he was not going to let her be dragged into this mess. It was too late for him, but the magic seemed to be focusing on him, which means that she could still get away.

Instead of letting go, however, the girl tightened her grip on him.

"AOI LET GO!" Saito shouted as he tried to pry off his sister who was clinging on to him. "SAVE YOURSELF!"

"No."

"I SAID LET GO!"

"NO!"

For a moment which seemed to last an eternity, Saito and Aoi stared at each, the two of them wordlessly conveying what they felt for each other.

"You're really stubborn, you know that?" Saito told his girlfriend with a sigh, and despite the situation, a small sad smile made itself up to his lips. Once she decided to do something, there was just no stopping her.

"I guess I am," the blue-haired girl replied, her voice returning to its usual quiet tone, as a smile similar to Saito's own was reflected on her face. Then, she leaned forward, and kissed Saito, as she let go of the lamp post she was holding on to, and the two of them were sucked into the abyss, and even though they knew that only doom awaits them, even though they both had regrets, they both could not help but feel a bit of joy because of one thing...

_If we die... at least we die together..._

**xxxXXXxxx**

"I cannot allow that, Ms. Valliere."

"Why not?"

"It is strictly forbidden. When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar, which is what you just did. Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you summon. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for that element. You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it because the 'Springtime Familiar Summoning' is a sacred rite. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to take him."

"But... I've never heard of having a commoner as a familiar!"

Louise Valliere was not happy. She had done her best, poured everything she had, to try and become a learned and at least acceptable mage, both to prove herself, and also so that she would not disgrace her family. All her efforts, however, seemed to be for nought.

No matter how she tried, she would always fail. Even her Summon Servant spell, was a failure. In a way, it should be considered success, but the fact that the one she summoned was plebeian, a mere commoner, made her feel like a disgrace. Even now, she could not help but envy her other classmates, who summoned proper animals, even the most meagre ones, like frogs and birds as their familiars. Yet here she was, stuck with probably the worst _successful_ casting of the familiar summoning spell in the history of Tristain, or perhaps even the entire continent.

"This is a tradition, Miss Vallière. I cannot allow any exceptions, He," The teacher, Professor Colbert, pointed at young man that was lying unconscious on the ground. "May be a commoner, but as long as she was summoned by you, she must be your familiar. Never in history has a human been summoned as a familiar, but the Springtime Familiar Summoning takes precedence over every rule. In other words, there is no other way around it; she must become your familiar."

"You have got to be joking..." the girl drooped her shoulders in disappointment.

Tradition. That was one the most common damn excuses that was always used by magi when they commit atrocities, not caring for the innocent lives that were harmed because of their actions.

"Well then, continue with the ceremony."

"With him?"

"Yes, with him. Hurry. The next class will begin any minute. How much more time is this summoning going to take? After mistake upon mistake, you have finally managed to summon him. Hurry and form a contract." The bald professor told his student with impatience in his voice, while the rest of the students laughed at the pinkette.

Closing her eyes in resignation for a moment before opening them again with forced resolve, Louise raised her wand and started waving it, walking towards the commoner she summoned while continuously chanting the traditional spell used for binding a familiar.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; bless this humble being and make him my familiar."

If there was one thing which Louise was thankful for, it was the fact that the commoner she summoned was unconscious. After all, some of her classmates had a considerable amount of difficulty trying to catch their summoned familiars to bind them into a contract, and if it were not for their Professor, who knew a number of restraining spells, some of the summoned familiars would have gotten away.

"Hey," the girl said, addressing her for the first time. She knew that the plebeian boy could not hear her, but perhaps it was better this way. As she had seen herself, it was easier to form a contract with an unconscious and immobile creature compared to one which was awake.

"You should count yourself lucky. Normally, you'd go your whole life without a noble doing this to you."

Kneeling down on the grass, the pink-haired female tapped the plebian's forehead with her wand.

For a moment, she hesitated, knowing exactly what it would take to bind a human as a familiar, but in the end she decided to ignore how she felt. Passing the exam and achieving her parent's expectations, or rather, not failing more than she already has, was more important than her personal feelings.

Leaning down and on her knees, she gave the raven-haired plebeian, a quick chaste kiss on the lips.

"It is done." The pinkette said in disgust at giving up her first kiss to a filthy commoner, and as she quickly stood up and moved away from the plebeian, wiping her mouth with handkerchief as she did so, she tried to placate herself in her thoughts. _Then again, familiars don't even count as human. SInce he's nothing but an animal, so it would not count._

"You have failed 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try." Her professor said happily, looking pleased.

Some of her classmates also looked pleased, though for a different and more savage reason.

"It's just because he's only a commoner."

"If he was a powerful magical beast, she wouldn't have been able to make a contract."

Even though she succeeded, the fact that she summoned a commoner, of all things, was enough to earn hear more teasing and taunts.

Feeling angry at their insults, Louise Valliere was just about to retort when...

"Aaaaaargh!"

An ear piercing screamed reverberated in the schoolyard. At the same moment, a bright white light engulfed the entire area, making it impossible to see anything.

"What in the Foun-" Louise began in her shock, yet she did not even manage to complete her sentence.

For before she could do it, before she could finish her statement, she found herself unable to open her mouth.

It all happened very quickly. In one moment, Louise was just about to shout in shock caused by the blinding light. In the next one...

...she found herself frozen in ice.

_C-c-c-cold!_

At that point in time, Louise would have wanted nothing less than to be able to scream in agony, yet she could not. For the ice which she had been trapped in restricted her movements in every single way. She could not move her arms. She could not move her legs. She could not move her mouth.

And she could not breathe.

_W-what is this?!_

Normally, when a person's air supply is cut off, they would fall unconscious within a minute. However, to the person who cannot brief, that agonizing minute would feel as if it was extended for hours.

And yet, even through this torture, to the pink-haired female, the pain from it was nothing compared to the emotional stress which she felt at the moment.

Being a member of one of the highest ranking noble families and having a noble mindset, as her body continued to suffer from the extreme cold, there was one thought that continued whirling in her mind, a thought that caused her even more pain than being trapped in a block of ice.

_I'm a failure..._ the girl wailed in her thoughts, as tears began flowing from her eyes, tears which immediately froze the moment they were shed, thinking about the shame that she had brought to her family and the ridicule she was bound to receive from her classmates, and the grave disappointment that would come from her parents...

Unknown to Louise, the block of ice that she was trapped in may have actually saved her life.

**xxxXXXxxx**

Caves are cavities in rocks created by natural causes. Overall, they vary in size, yet there are those which are really large and hollow that the vacant space is about the size of a mansion. Such caves, which are also called caverns, can be used as protection by animals, as well as human beings against rain and the elements.

And in one such cavern, two persons in particular were currently taking shelter. However, this particular cavern was unique in that it not only provides shelter against the elements... it was also a viable source of other necessities. For inside of this particular cavern, an underground river flowed, from which living creatures can get their drinking water... as well as food.

"Whoa- look Aoi, I got a big one!" A male voice shouted cheerfully, smiling, as he got out of the water and brought back the struggling fish which he caught using only one hand.

His smile faltered, however, when he dropped the fish beside another and compared the two.

"But not as big as the one you caught, though," he sighed in disappointment. "Right, I better go see if I can catch another."

Watching her older brother go back to the river, the girl whose face was half-hidden by a book yet was actually just pretending to read it, shook her head slightly, a small smile appearing on her lips, knowing exactly why her brother was sulking. Saito was trying to impress Aoi but he thought he was failing miserably at it.

What he did not know was that his sister, who is also his girlfriend, was actually impressed by the display. Without his shirt on, even though she had seen him countless times without it already, seeing him in action with his lean yet muscular body still left her somewhat mesmerized.

Seven years. It had been seven years since then, since Hiraga Aoi came into the world. In truth, she was actually fifteen years old, yet to her, the time when they first met was the time when she was born, the time when she started to feel alive.

_..._

"_From this day forth, you are my imouto, my little sister. You are now my other half. Everything I own is now divided between us."_

_..._

Aoi still remembered it, the words which her brother told her when she first arrived at their new home. A girl without any memories aside from the time she first woke up, who did not know how to speak or understand the local language at the time, she was glad when she realized there was someone who could understand her, and the very first words spoken to her which she understood truly touched her heart.

Glad to have finally found someone who could understand her, it was a little later, once she started learning Japanese, did she realize that it should not have been possible for them to talk, since they were both speaking a completely different language. Still, it did not matter to her that much.

To have loving parents and a loving brother, Aoi, at the time, was already content with her life.

Sadly, nothing ever stays the same.

Once she had hit eleven, their parents had them sleeping in separate rooms. Since that time, even though they were living under the same roof, the two of them rarely spoke to each other. And as the years went by, her brother seemed to grow more and more distant.

At first, Aoi was upset with the changes, thinking that her brother did not love her anymore. However, during one particular incident, she realized just how wrong she was.

On that night, while their parents were away on a business trip, her brother returned home drunk for the first time despite being underage due to a prank.

Alcohol can have different effects depending on people, yet it is said that someone who is drunk is likely to be more honest than someone who is not... and thus, her older brother ended up confessing everything to her, both in action and in words.

It was not that Aoi's brother did not love her anymore, it was just that her brother loved her as more than just his sister. He loved her as his imouto, yet at the same time, he loved her as a woman.

In his muddled state of mind, Saito told Aoi everything. About what he had done, about what he thought of Aoi, about what he thought of himself. It was then that Aoi discovered why she always felt as if there was someone watching over her, even though she could take care of herself, and why her brother had become so distant... and it made her realize her own feelings which she harboured for her brother, her big brother who she also loved as more than just a brother.

After a long and gruelling trial, the two of them are finally together as lovers, yet even now, Aoi still held one little secret. Due to the fact that he was drunk, her brother does not remember, but on that same night when she confirmed Saito's true feelings for her, her brother had forced himself upon Aoi, and while he did pull back in the end and did not take her innocence at the time, he had actually taken her first kiss.

Aoi, in all honesty, despite liking Saito, was actually frightened at the time. However, now that she looked back, she was kind of glad that it happened. Had it not been for that incident, she would never have discovered that her brother loved her and did not hate her. Had she not known the truth, there was a chance that she never would have found the courage to pursue the feeling she had for her brother no matter what.

If it wasn't for that incident, the two of them would have fallen apart before they could even begin.

And aside from that, now that she thought about it, it was because of that incident that all of her brother's first times belonged to her, including his first kiss.

However... that did not make her any less angry or upset when her brother kissed another woman, and there were two females in particular who did exactly that.

The first one, Haruka Misawa, the girl Saito dated, Aoi had been able to forgive. She was, after all, someone who did harbour the same feelings Aoi had for Saito. And aside from that, having a logical mind, Aoi knew that from the other girl's point of view, she was the one at fault. They did not know each other personally, but still, the fact that she was willing to let Saito go because she wanted him to be happy earned her Aoi's respect, and she was actually feeling a bit guilty because of it.

The second one though...

"That wench..." the blue-haired female muttered darkly.

"Hmmm? Were you saying something Aoi-chan?"

"It's nothing." The blue-haired female replied monotonously, not realizing that she said her thoughts out loud.

"You're upset about her kissing me, aren't you?" Saito teased, as he pierced the fish with a stick and placed them by the fire. "Well, I won't lie to you. Her lips were nice and soft, but they're nothing compared to yours."

"..." The blue-haired girl narrowed her eyes as she looked at her brother in irritation.

"Hey, don't look at me at like that," the young man panicked as he saw the storm that was forming in Aoi's eyes. "You know I'd never d-"

Aoi, however, cut him off.

"Not the kiss, Onii-chan," the girl with glasses told her brother-turned-lover a half-truth, half lie. Even though the kiss made her angry, what the girl did was what made Aoi really furious. "The summoning. The contract. She's the one respo-"

"Hey, look! I think it's done now." Aoi's brother interrupted.

Removing the skewered fish away from the fire, Saito handed the largest one over to Aoi, as he sat beside her, and the two of them began to eat.

"Delicious!"

"..." And as they silently continued to eat by the warmth of the flames, Aoi recalled what happened to them that day.

Women had always been known for being sharp and intuitive, and with good reason. Even though Aoi seemed aloof and distant most of the time, she too, was female, and thus, no matter how hard her brother tried to hide it, she knew that something was up. She did not know exactly what, but by the way her brother, who is always her boyfriend, was acting, he was preparing something big. All the while that they were dating he seemed nervous and slightly more jumpy than usual.

He had a surprise waiting for her, and while she was calm on the inside, Aoi was actually restless with excitement in her thoughts.

Instead of the pleasant surprise he prepared though, Aoi and her brother were met by a different and much less pleasant one, a most unpleasant surprise that was caused by a certain pinkette.

The Hiraga siblings, in truth, were not your everyday average brother and sister. However, it was not just because the two of them, despite being brother and sister, although not blood-related, were lovers at the same time, but because the two them could actually use magic, not the cheap tricks and illusions that magicians perform, but real magic.

Aoi did not understand exactly why, but for some reason, even though she did not have any recollection of her first seven years in life, her first memory being that of waking up in a hospital, she somehow had the ability to manipulate the air around her. At the time she did not know that such abilities like making objects float was not normal, which was why she was glad that no one saw her doing them, and she had thus kept it a secret. She was, being the curious type of nature that she had, still practicing and learning more about her power discreetly, but she made sure that no one caught her.

Two months since she first became part of the Hiraga household, though, her brother found out, and at the time, Aoi thought that it was all over. Being a bookworm and a fast learner, Aoi at the time thought that it was all over for her. She had already read several books, and among them, was the historical facts on how humans during the middle ages killed and burned to the stake those they believed to be witches, as well as how those who are different are generally disliked by the society, even in present day.

Instead of shunning her, however, her brother had been easily accepting, and instead of telling on her, helped her keep her secret. In fact, he too, had taken an interest in studying magic. At first, Aoi had simply been showing him the ropes, but after a while, he too, with the aid of books, which were a mixture of factual scientific ones, books on history and religion, and fictional fantasy works, developed his own unique magic, magic which probably saved them both from a lifetime of torment. Magic which would have probably got rid of the girl responsible for ripping Aoi and her brother from their home had she not been so rash at punishing the girl herself.a Ironically, the spell Aoi used to make the pinkette suffer is what protected her from Saito's spell which had been passively activated as a defense mechanism.

In truth, Aoi had absolutely no idea what was in store for them when the portal appeared, and in fact, at the time, despite being knowledgeable in magic, she did not know what it was. All she knew was that it was sucking them in, and was probably some kind of black hole. She was actually quite certain that it was the end for her and her brother, sure that they were going to die. When she finally lost consciousness in her brother's embrace, she thought that it was all over.

However, that is not what happened. She thought she would never wake up again, yet she did. And the first thing saw when regained consciousness.

Was the sky, which has not one... but two moons.

And the sight triggered her memories, not all of them, and what she saw were merely fragments, but it was enough for her to know exactly what happened to them. Enough to know, what a certain pink-haired wench did to her brother and tried to do to her. Enough to know, that what the wench did was unforgiveable.

"Your hand."

"It's fine Aoi-chan, see?" Saito stated in a cheery tone, waving his left hand that was wrapped in a cloth to prove his point.

The blue-haired female, however, was not deceived. Even though the hand was not useless, she could tell that Saito was just trying to hide the fact that he was in pain.

Knowing that he will likely evade any questions regarding his injuries, Aoi decided that it was time for them to discuss the main issue, which was second in priority only to their health.

"Shhhh..."

Just as she was about to speak, her brother put his finger over her mouth.

Despite her turmoil of thoughts and emotions, her brother's kind and gentle touch was enough to calm Aoi's nerves.

"Don't worry Aoi-chan. We'll find a way home, I promise." Her brother told Aoi with a reassuring smile, as if he knew she was about to say, as he placed his free hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "For now, try and get some sleep."

Feeling safe in his arms, the blue-haired female put down her book, removed her glasses, and eventually asleep with her head on her brother's lap, basking in the familiar warmth and comfort of his presence.

**xxxXXXxxx**

Jean Colbert, one of the Professors in Tristain Academy of Magic, was currently in a dilemma.

Before he became a teacher, he was a soldier, a formidable square class fire mage who held the runic name Flame Snake, and was greatly feared by his enemies, due to his notoriety at incinerating his enemies, leaving behind nothing but ashes. During his time in service, the number who fell by his hands amounted to thousands.

Still, despite being a merciless warrior, he still held on to his principles, and thus he had never slain innocents, unless there was a truly critical reason for it. He had been sent to missions when he had no other option but to do just that, but, much as it got his conscience, like the loyal soldier that he is, he hardened his heart, and still went through with them. He was not above slaughtering anyone, even women, children, and the elderly, if there was a valid reason for it. He truly believed that what he was doing was actually helping maintain peace, and that his actions were all justified.

However, in one of these missions, he realized just how wrong he was. With reports that an epidemic was plaguing a certain town, he and his men were sent to destroy it, to prevent the disease from spreading to other places, and thus saving more people by slaughtering the infected... only for Colbert to find out too late that the report was false, that the men and women who he burned to death were actually in good health.

Colbert knew that he was being used from the start, as all soldiers are. To him, killing guiltless individuals who could cause the spread of disease was barely acceptable, but acceptable nonetheless. Sending him to butcher innocent people for a selfish reason, however, was not.

And it was the last straw for the powerful fire mage. His conscience unable to take anymore, the Flame Snake left the field of battle, and became a school teacher and researcher, determined to devote the rest of his rest life to atonement, teaching and guiding the younger generation so that they would not make same mistakes that he made, as well as discovering new and inventive ideas that would help build, not destroy as he had used his fire magic countless times.

Sadly, just like any man and any system, there are flaws which are present. It is true that since his time in the Academy, he did make sure, to the best of his ability, that the students, who were members of the nobility, did not abuse the school workers, especially the maids, who were commoners, both to protect them, as well as teach the students valuable lessons in life.

When it comes to certain aspects of religion, however, Colbert would normally still follow through to the letter, especially if it involved magic directly. Rituals, after all, are sacred, and as such, are best not trifled with... like the Springtime Familiar Summoning Ritual for example.

Right now though, he wished he just listened to what his heart was telling him rather than simply follow protocol.

Having served years as a soldier in the battlefield, he had a lot of control over his emotions, and thus, on the surface, he seemed calm and composed. In truth, however, he was actually emotionally distraught.

_This is all my fault._ Thought Colbert bitterly to himself. From behind a door, watching with genuine concern as two medics tended to Louise Valliere, the student who almost died from hypothermia because of his slow response and lapse in judgment.

If only he acted quickly enough. If only he kept his guard up and responded to that particular summoning in the same wary way that he would if his students summoned a dangerous creature like a large snake or a dragon.

Yet he did not. Surprised and somehow confused with what his student has summoned, intrigued by the peculiar runes that appeared on their hands, while finding the appearance of the other one strikingly similar to one of his students, it clouded his judgment.

Thus, he made a mistake... a grave mistake that nearly cost the life of his ward.

He failed his duty as a teacher. He failed his duty as the students' second parent.

"Professor Colbert?"

The balding man with glasses was brought out from his thoughts by a female voice. Now was not the time for him to be wallowing in self-pity.

Turning around, he was not surprised to find himself facing two students in particular.

"Ms Kirche, Ms. Tabitha, is there anything I can do for you?" Mr. Colbert inquired in his usual friendly demeanour.

"It's the Headmaster. He wants to have a word with you."

After, all, given what had happened, it was only natural for them to be involved.

Their objective, while they have not yet officially discussed it, will without a doubt be to locate and capture the two individuals who had been summoned by the third daughter of the Valliere.

Unknown to them, however, it would not be until much later before they would finally find a lead, even though their target were actually much closer than they thought.

**xxxXXXxxx**

"The Charming Fairies' promise!"

"Serve with a cheerful smile!"

"The Charming Fairies' promise!"

"A clean, sparkling store interior!"

"The Charming Fairies' promise!"

"Receive lots of tips!"

"Très bien."

The day had just begun for the employees of the Charming Fairies Inn, a food and lodging establishment that can be found in the City of Tristania. Just like typical inns lodging houses, the place serves both as a hotel and restaurant. Unlike other shops, however, one of the unique services they offer is entertainment in the form of cute girls in suggestive clothing serving the meals, at least that was until the other bars saw how effective the method was and started copying the idea.

Having lost that particular edge, while the shop did not exactly fare poorly, its earnings has still been significantly decreased. The emergence of new types of inns called cafes did not help either, and in overall daily earnings, comparing it with their neighbours, the Charming Fairies Inn was already at the lower half.

A few months ago, however, the dwindling popularity of the inn once again shot upward and as of present, the Charming Fairies Inn present standing actually surpassed its previous peak, and was now considered as one of the most popular inns in the entire city, thanks to a certain improvement that had been added to their services.

"Here is the order from table number three." A girl called out.

An improvement which was related to the meals they served.

"Got it! Six servings of 'curry' and fried rice coming right up!" A voice coming from the kitchens replied, where the unmistakeable sound of stirring and frying could be heard from.

When it comes to selling products or services, whatever they may be, there are two major requirements for the venture to be successful. One, the product must be something in demand. Two, the product must not be common and could not found just about anywhere. Of course, there are other factors like advertising to be considered, but overall, if a business has a product or service that people like and can only be provided by them, it would definitely generate a lot of income.

And the Charming Fairies Inn managed to acquire just that, in the form of exquisite and delicious dishes that only their shop can provide...

"Thanks for the hard work! See you guys tomorrow."

As what always happens to people who are busy, time seems to go by really quickly, and before they knew it, twilight had fallen.

"Right, now it's our turn." A few voices declared, belonging to the night shift employees, who had just changed into their respective uniforms.

Before, the bar section of the Charming Fairies Inn was only open from dusk till dawn, but now, with the increase in the work force brought about by the inn's increase in popularity, it was now open for twenty-four hours, with two groups of employees taking either the day shift or the night shift.

"We're back!"

The heads of everyone in the inn turned towards the feathered door, as a male voice was heard shouting and two people entered the bar.

"You two! It's been a while!" A man with oily black hair and wearing a female attire shouted happily as he rushed towards the new arrivals who were standing by the door and gave them a big hug.

"Madam Scarron, we can't breathe," the young man, who was one of the two currently being smothered by the feminine yet male inn owner, choked out.

"Oh, sorry about that," the girly man named Scarron replied sheepishly, loosening his grip as he did so. "It's just that it's been a month since the two of you left for that mission and haven't returned. We were so worried."

"I understand," the young man replied. "However, next time please refrain from using too much force. While we don't really mind the hugs, if you keep this up we could really end up dead." Saying this, the blue-haired girl beside the boy nodded her head in agreement.

Despite being a homosexual and acted similar to a mother hen, the owner of the Charming Fairies' Inn was still a muscular man whose physical strength could probably match that of a golem's.

However, Scarron really could not help it. Even though he had been wary of them at first, the feminine man had become fond of the two, and now, the warm smile which he showed them was no longer the fake one he wore whenever he was dealing with strangers, and instead gave them his real smile. He no longer saw them as merely clients and business partners, but rather, like his own son and daughter, as true parts of the second yet truly caring family comprised of the members of the Charming Fairies' Inn.

And as the two of them, the young man with raven hair and a petite girl with glasses, the rest of the working staff, both those who were still working and those who had just ended their shift, as well as the most loyal customers of the inn who were already considered as part of their group, momentarily stopped what they were doing.

"Saito! Aoi! Welcome back!" The people inside the building chorused in unison, as they rushed towards the inn's entrance the two individuals who in one way or another, changed their lives for the better.

**xxxXXXxxx**

**To be continued...**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Alright, now for those who thought this is a new chapter, it is not but rather a reboot of the prologue.

You see, I actually already have a plot and flow planned for this fic, but after one of my friends read the fragment of ideas I'm using, she suggested that I try a different approach. Well, it did lead to me scrap more than half of what I've already prepared, but I think it's worth it. So the end result, is this rewrite of the prologue, though it's not exactly a rewrite but rather, some things were added.

I just hope I don't screw this up, but the important thing is that by doing this I am able to use a timeskip, as well as focus my plot attention away from canon and away from the main setting, Tristain Academy of Magic.

But enough that...

And like always, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter...

Later then, people...


End file.
